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But Mr. Gardiner, though he assured her again of his earnest endeavours in the cause, could not avoid rmending moderation to her,as well in her hopes as her fear;and after talking with her in this manner till dinner was on the table,they all left her to vent all her feelings on the housekeeper,who attended in the absence of her daughters.
Though her brother and sister were persuaded that there was no real occasion for such a seclusion from the family,they did not attempt to oppose it,for they knew that she had not prudence enough to hold her tongue before the servants,while they waited at table,and judged it better that one only of the household,and the one whom they could most trust shouldprehend all her fears and solicitude on the subject.
In the diningroom they were soon joined by Mary and Kitty, who had been too busily engaged in their separate apartments to make their appearance before.One came from her books,and the other from her toilette.The faces of both,however,were tolerably calm;and no change was visible in either,except that the loss of her favourite sister,or the anger which she had herself incurred in this business,had given more of fretfulness than usual to the accents of Kitty.As for Mary,she was mistress enough of herself to whisper to Elizabeth,with a countenance of grave reflection, soon after they were seated at table:
“This is a most unfortunate affair, and will probably be much talked of.But we must stem the tide of malice,and pour into the wounded bosoms of each other the balm of sisterly consolation.”
Then, perceiving in Elizabeth no inclination of replying, she added,“Unhappy as the event must be for Lydia, we may draw from it this useful lesson: that loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; that one false step involves her in endless ruin;that her reputation is no less brittle than it is beautiful;and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards the undeserving of the other sex.”
Elizabeth lifted up her eyes in amazement,but was too much oppressed to make any reply.Mary,however,continued to console herself with such kind of moral extractions from the evil before them.
In the afternoon,the two elder Miss Bes were able to be for halfanhour by themselves; and Elizabeth instantly availed herself of the opportunity of making any inquiries, which Jane was equally eager to satisfy.After joining in general lamentations over the dreadful sequel of this event,which Elizabeth considered as all but certain,and Miss Be could not assert to be wholly impossible,the former continued the subject,by saying,“But tell me all and everything about it which I have not already heard. Give me further particulars.What did Colonel Forster say?Had they no apprehension of anything before the elopement took place?They must have seen them together for ever.”
“Colonel Forster did own that he had often suspected some partiality,especially on Lydia's side,but nothing to give him any alarm.I am so grieved for him!His behaviour was attentive and kind to the utmost.He wasing to us,in order to assure us of his concern,before he had any idea of their not being gone to Scotland:when that apprehension first got abroad,it hastened his journey.”
“And was Denny convinced that Wickham would not marry? Did he know of their intending to go off?Had Colonel Forster seen Denny himself?”
“Yes; but, when questioned by him, Denny denied knowing anything of their plans,and would not give his real opinion about it. He did not repeat his persuasion of their not marrying—and from that, I am inclined to hope, he might have been misunderstood before.”
“And till Colonel Forster came himself, not one of you entertained a doubt,I suppose,of their being really married?”
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